It has always been my dream to help those in need, and to be a catalyst for them to reach their highest potential, in a healthy, and happy way. Having been in an emotionally abusive relationship, I know the fear many women feel every day, and the lack of control they feel they have. To be able to create a facility in which I could empower women to get out of these dangerous, belittling situations through the counseling and comfort of other women who mustered the strength to walk away would be such a dream come true for me. Now, I understand that it is exceptionally difficult for women in these situations to easily leave, but only through the help of an aunt of mine who suffered from an abusive situation much like mine, could I find the courage to walk away, knowing that, like my aunt, I would one day be okay. My life would not be damaged for not staying, as these men very commonly say. I believe a large portion of the reason women struggle with leaving stems from the fact that they can’t see how their future will pan out, and I want to show them, through example, that they CAN survive, and they have a family in these other brave women within the institution, and always have a place to go. According to the FBI, 1,500 women are killed by their abusive husbands or boyfriends annually. My dream is to save those lives.

https://tl-cdn.s3.amazonaws.com/images/logoTagline.svg002014 Scholarship Participanthttps://tl-cdn.s3.amazonaws.com/images/logoTagline.svg2014 Scholarship Participant2014-07-24 09:56:112014-07-24 09:56:11Changing the World: One Woman at a Time